We've felt for a long time as though the ongoing radiolgist vs. cardiologist debate needs a little shaking up. This issue of the MRI Newsletter is dedicated to the burgeoning realm of MRI in oncology.

While 'onc' doesn't roll off of the tounge with the same familiarity as 'rad' or 'card,' there are growing applications of MRI to serve cancer diagnosis and treatment. And while the radiology turf battles need another competitor like I need a hole in my head, the clinical value of oncology applications in MRI will push them into hospitals, and perhaps later into oncology physician practice gourps, in the years ahead.

The tools are proliferating. As the installed base of 3.0 Tesla MRI systems grows, so does the basis for highly effective MR spectroscopy. The October 17 issue of Radiology Today, in fact, points to recent studies showing MR spectroscopy's efficacy in diagnosing breast cancer by identifying choline in tumors.

Our features this month shine a light on different aspects of oncology in MRI. Our first piece highlights new MRI products that are helping to identify and locate tumors to prepare for radiation or chemo therapy treatments. Our second article identifies cancer treatments that are guided by MR imaging. And we wrap up our oncological trilogy with a commentary on the future of MRI in cancer diagnosis and treatment.

As always, we hope that you will contact us if you have any questions about anything you read in the newsletter, or if we can be of any assistance to you.

Robert Junk, AIA, AHRA
Junk Architects, PC

AIA Journal Identifies Designer's Role In MRI Safety.

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MRI Newsletter - Article Archive Is Now On Line!

Don't forget that we now have the archive of previous MRI Newsletter articles available. Click here to see all the articles that are available.

While the archive index is available to everyone, only subscribers will be able to access the full text of the articles, except the published public issues.

MRI and Cancer Diagnosis.
By Robert Junk, AIA, AHRA and Tobias Gilk

MRI utilization has been climbing at double-digit rates for decades. This is due largely to the success of the modality in financial terms, which has spread the deployment of MRI providers far and wide making MRI one of the most accessible imaging modalities available. Growth has also come from new clinical applications which, when coupled with the financial rewards of MRI, has fueled an ongoing turf battle as radiologists ‘defend’ their specialization from cardiologists who have adopted CT and now MR for their patients. But perhaps the biggest news to hit MRI, from both financial and clinical perspectives, will be the burgeoning use of MR in oncology.

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MRI-Guided Cancer Treatment
By Robert Junk, AIA, AHRA and Tobias Gilk

For many soft tissue cancers, MRI is the gold standard for imaging. The fine resolution of high-field MR has proven its effectiveness in differentiating, defining and locating tumors within the body, but treatment options aren’t to be found in the MR department, rather in radiation therapy / oncology. Even for treatment planning, MRI has taken a back seat to CT, even with soft tissue tumors and PET provides superior metabolic data on what is happening inside the tumor. But what if MRI could be used more effectively as a treatment planning tool? What if a single trip into the bore could not only effectively diagnose cancer, but also treat it?

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Is Oncology MRI's Next Frontier?
By Tobias Gilk

My daughter is turning six this month and we’re currently working very hard on sharing. It’s been an uphill battle because, while she has been excited about having her birthday party, she’s indicated that she expects her guests to honor the look-but-don’t-touch policy for everything in the house. This extends to mom and dad as well. This experience jumps to mind, not only because of its immediacy, but also because of its similarity to the way some have portrayed the ‘turf’ battles over radiological modalities.

But it seems that fate, technology and demographics have combined to provide an unfavorable response to those who are dead-set on keeping non-radiologists out of the MRI suite. As baby boomers enter their golden oncological years, there will be growing demands for effective diagnosis and treatment of a multitude of cancers. Several promising options are being developed for MRI and may promise to bring more oncology patients (and their physicians) into the MRI suite in the years ahead.

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Articles In The Works

• Purchase Contract Options To Protect The MRI Buyer
• Access Control Devices: Keeping Zone III Secure
• Double Down: Raising The Stakes Of MRI Safety

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Junk Architects, PC

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Kansas City, MO 54105

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